


Beauty of the Beast

by GillyTweed



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Demons, Angst, Capture, Clarke Griffin Takes Care of Lexa, Demon!Clarke - Freeform, F/F, Fluff, Human!Lexa, Presenting my most morally questionable fic, Slavery, Stockholm Syndrome, There's some cute shit I promise, thus far that is
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-07-06
Packaged: 2018-10-07 10:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10357857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GillyTweed/pseuds/GillyTweed
Summary: Ignoring Murphy and his cursing for a moment, she examined the human he’d been looking at. It was a woman, young, a girl really, partially trapped in the fields thick mud. Thin and gaunt, she looked a hairsbreadth from being a living skeleton, starvation having taken its toll.She glared up at them, fire burning intensely in her eyes despite the haze of pain that clouded them. Even as malnourished and bloody as she was, the girl was beautiful, a power boiling inside her that drew the blonde to her like a moth to a flame. Clarke could see a beast stalking within the small human, and she had the inexplicable urge to see that beast purr.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Before anyone asks, I have no idea where this came from. It just happened and wouldn't leave my brain. I wrote this as one long fic initially but I've broken it up into chapters for easier posting. Once people are done reading, I'd really appreciate people telling me their thoughts on it

Clarke skirted the battle field, red mud and filth squelching under her boots. She hiked up her cloak slightly so the edge wouldn’t dirty itself on the blood soaked ground. Groans and whimpers of pain reached her ears, the sounds of the dead and dying echoing across the field like mournful wails. Even to a demon warrior used to such smells, the air was acrid, filled with smoke and the stench of death. It made her sad in a way, that this was how the humans fight ended, covered in mud and left to suffer. She breathed a sigh, tugging at one of her horns irritably. The adrenaline from the battle had worn off, leaving her hyper aware and restless, and the pulling sensation just above her hair line where her horns grew from her skull was rather grounding.

She sighed as she looked over the field again. The humans had fought well, lasting much longer than anyone had expected, but eventually they did fall, as everyone always did. Those on this particular field were the very last, the stragglers that had kept fighting even after their capital had been lost. It was admirable, their determination, although futile.

A shrill cry drew her attention across the field. She saw one of her comrades stumbling back, loud curses falling from his lips. She plodded over carefully, stepping over bodies and weapons half submerged in mud.

Her comrade, who she now recognized as Murphy from the tall gently curving horns towering above his head, continued to curse after she’d made it to his side, a hand pressed to a bloodied cheek. She raised a brow when she saw the three long scratches marking along his cheekbone, blood pouring to drip off his jaw. Whoever had scratched him must have been determined if they’d managed to cut so deep.

Ignoring Murphy and his cursing for a moment, she examined the human he’d been looking at. It was a woman, young, a girl really, partially trapped in the fields thick mud. Thin and gaunt, she looked a hairsbreadth from being a living skeleton, starvation having taken its toll.

She glared up at them, fire burning intensely in her eyes despite the haze of pain that clouded them. Even as malnourished and bloody as she was, the girl was beautiful, a power boiling inside her that drew the blonde to her like a moth to a flame. Clarke could see a beast stalking within the small human, and she had the inexplicable urge to see that beast purr.

Murphy’s curses had begun to quiet, unsheathing his blade with a growl, obviously intent to end the girl’s life, but she grabbed his wrist, halting the blades descent. He looked at the older demon questioningly, a brow raised. Blood still dripped from his cheek, dark and wet.

“I want her.” She stated simply. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe because she knew she would be bored once they went home? No more battles to fight, or things to occupy her time. She’d lived alone for a long time, almost a century now, and while she had friends, a companion wouldn’t be undesirable; like a pet of sorts. It seemed Murphy figured out her thought process, snorting as he pulled his arm from her grip.

“Your funeral, Griffin. If she ends up murdering you in the night, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Murphy ambled away, not wanting to deal with whatever she had planned. Once he was gone, Clarke turned back to the human, kneeling so she was at her side. It didn’t surprise her that the girl tried to lash out, her fingers still covered in Murphy’s blood. Prepared for the swipe, she leaned back, catching the girl’s arm in a tight but gentle grip. She could feel the bones of the arm in her hand, the muscle having atrophied over such a long period of starvation and hardship, yet the girl continued to fight, struggling to yank her arm away, to stand, to roll over, to do anything but flail weakly on the ground. The sight sent a pang of sadness through her chest, to see such a beautiful creature suffer in such a way.

Eventually the girls struggles ceased, her breaths coming in wet sobbing pants as her eyelids fluttered. Slowly, Clarke released her arm, laying it gently over the girl’s stomach. She brushed matted hair from the girl's forehead, frowning slightly as she got a choked whimper in response.

“Shhh, it’s alright. I’m going to take care of you.” She murmured softly, brushing away some mud at the corner of the girl’s eyes with her thumb. She smiled as the girl seemed to lean into the touch, the weight of her head resting on the blonde’s palm. It was probably the first gentle touch she had felt in a while, Clarke mused. Having been on the run and fighting almost constantly, it was doubtful that the humans had had the chance to find any form of comfort in one another.

Slipping her cloak from her shoulders, no longer caring if mud soaked it, she laid it over the girl, wrapping it around her thin frame snuggly, before slipping her arms under the girl’s back and knees. Despite the armour she wore, the girl was light, her body having become a shadow of what it had been.

As she began to walk back to camp, Clarke imagined what the human in her arms must have looked like before war, strong and healthy, muscles filling out the armour that now hung from her thin frame. It was a wonderful thought that quickly became larger. What would the girl look like healthy, but soft, no longer needing to fight for her life? What would she look like clean, dressed in light robes that flowed around her figure? What would she look like soft and pliant, reclining and fully relaxed? Each image her imagination conjured was beautiful, giving her the motivation to make it a reality.

* * *

The walk back to camp had been brief, the human curling into her chest as she carried her. When she entered the camp, the demons on guard duty stared, brows raised, but didn’t question, letting her pass without trouble. It seemed more than one soldier had brought back human spoils. The girl in her arms seemed to sense the eyes upon them, burying her face in Clarke’s neck, gripping at the demons coat as though trying to hide. She was thankful her tent was nearer to the edge of camp, meaning less curious gazes as she walked.

Once shielded by the walls of her tent, she felt the girl begin to tremble in her arms, breaths becoming heavy with panic. The shaking only seemed to get worse as she neared the bed, and then it clicked. The poor thing thought she was going to rape her. Instead of setting the girl on the bed as she’d first planned, she sat on the cots edge, rocking the girl and cooing softly. “Shh, Pet. I’m not going to hurt you. I need to clean you up and tend to your wounds.”

The girl continued to shake, a choked whimper escaping. Clarke continued to rock from side to side, carding her fingers through matted hair. She needed to take this slow, she decided. The girl was obviously traumatized, having watched her entire people be crushed under the might of the demons, and terrified as she was surrounded by her conquerors. The blonde needed to show her that she wouldn’t be harmed. That she could, at the very least, trust Clarke and her intentions.

They stayed in that position for a long while, the demon rocking and crooning softly until the girl’s trembling subsided. The humans panic seemed to give out with a wet cough, her body becoming limp all at once as she slumped against the blonde. She still seemed to be conscious, but she stared ahead blankly, having become unaware of what was around her. Clarke continued to rock for a few more moments, massaging the girl’s neck lightly, until she felt the muscles relax.

The girl didn’t move as she shifted, placing the human down on the cot gently, simply shivering as the warmth from the blonde disappeared. Clarke stood and stretched, her back popping nicely as she did so. Her boots and pants had become stiff with mud, and her armour was crusted with blood, making her skin itch. She hummed softly as she removed her outer layers, laying them over the small table at the back of her tent. She would clean them later, right now, she needed to tend to the human.

She continued to hum, keeping her movements slow as she went to the end of the bed where her chest of clothing was. Inside, she didn’t have much other than her regular everyday pants and shirts, as she generally slept in them while on campaign, but at the very bottom of the chest was a long night dress. It was more of a robe really, meant to be worn when they were safe within their own territory, but right now it would work perfectly for dressing the injured girl. It would be easy to slip on and off, and in general it was rather warm so it would help fend off the growing winter chill.

Tossing the night dress on the end of the bed, she went over to the fire pit in the centre of the tent. It took a few moments to get it started, but soon there was a merry blaze radiating much needed warmth within the space. As she set up a pot of water to heat, she checked the human out of the corner of her eye, frowning slightly when she noticed the girl had begun to tremble again. Standing, she returned to the bed, placing a hand against the girl’s forehead slowly. Her frown deepened as she felt overheated skin against her palm.

Nodding to herself, she went back to the fire, taking the partially heated water and pouring it into a bowl. She then replaced the pot after refilling it, running a mental checklist of things she would need to make a simple broth. The poor girl had been on the run since at least the battle for Polis, which had been months ago, which meant she probably hadn’t had decent, solid food in quite a while. So, it would be wise to take it slow and have her eat things that would be gentle on her stomach.

Leaving the water to boil, she took the bowl of semi warm water and grabbed a washcloth. She stepped slowly, making her way to the bed again, and set the bowl on the side table next to the bed. She lowered herself onto the edge, holding in a groan as she finally registered the ache in her feet. She’d been walking, running and fighting all day, and she was tired, wanting nothing more than to lay down and sleep, but she pushed these thoughts away, determined to fulfil the responsibility she’d taken on of caring for her human.

First, after peeling back her mud soaked cloak, she removed the gauntlets from around the girl’s forearms and slid off the gloves from her hands, revealing her thin, dirt stained arms to the open air. She discarded the armour onto the side table beside the bowl before grabbing the cloth and dipping it into the warm water. She watched the girl as she took her hand and gently wiped away the dirt coating her hand. A shuddering sigh escaped the girl as she continued, wiping between slim fingers and over her palm and forearms. It turned out the girl was rather pale once all the dirt was stripped away, the water leaving her skin a soft pink colour from the warmth. She repeated this with the other hand, being especially gentle as she ran the cloth over the girls split knuckles.

Once finished with her hands, Clarke wrung out the cloth and resoaked it, taking the time to watch the girls reactions. Her eyes had begun to droop and her breathing had evened out, no longer sounding laboured. The blonde reached slowly, unsurprised when the girl jolted as her hand cupped her cheek. Green, hazy eyes focused on hers as she brought the cloth to the girl’s cheek.

She didn't break the eye contact the girl was giving her, smiling softly as the girl searched her face, most likely looking for any bad intentions. It seemed she didn’t find any because she closed her eyes without prompting when the cloth reached her eyes. Clarke swiped gently over each eyelid, stripping away the oily black war paint to reveal the young face underneath. Without the paint, she looked as though she couldn't have been more than twenty summers old, even younger than the blonde had first assumed.

“I'm going to take off your coat, alright?” Clarke murmured softly once the last of the filth had been removed from the girl's face. Without the dirt and mud obscuring them, deep scratches along her cheekbones and jaw became apparent, along with a split lip that had begun to bleed slightly. A small pink tongue swiped at the fresh blood as the girl nodded hesitantly, fear still obvious in her features.

The blonde nodded, tossing the wash cloth in the now cool bowl of water. Again, she kept her movements slow as she unbuckled the corset of leather belts from around the girl's waist. The corset seemed to have kept the extra fabric of the coat contained, most likely so it didn't catch on anything or hinder her during battle. She slipped the network of straps from beneath the girl, setting it with the gauntlets on the side table.

Placing a hand on the girl's side, the blonde looked up, finding the human watching her intently. She continued to unbuckle the coat, pulling the two sides aside to reveal black leather armour underneath. While the armour seemed to cover her torso rather nicely, there were still long slices that cut through her sides and shoulder where the armour was thinner. Blood had stained and clotted the insides of the coat, and as the blonde pulled it away the girl whimpered, the dried blood tugging at her wounds. Clarke shushed her softly, stroking her hair gently, and went to get her medical supplies and more warm water.

The water over the fire had begun to boil, prompting Clarke to begin making the broth, although she did take a portion of the roiling water to clean the girl's wounds. Dumping the ingredients into the pot; a pre made powder that was simply a god send on long campaigns, she stirred it quickly. It wouldn't take long for it to finish, hopefully just long enough for her to finish cleaning the girl up.

She grabbed her medical kit, then returned to the bed. The girl hadn't stopped watching her the entire time, eyes tracking her every movement intently.

“I'm going to have to take off your armour and shirt if I'm going to take care of those wounds.” She said pointedly as she sat down. The girl's eyes widened as she realized it wasn't a suggestion. While Clarke wanted to be kind to the girl, she also had to establish that she was the one in control. The girl swallowed, her feverish trembling intensifying.

“Now, either you can remove them or I will. Either way, I will be tending those wounds.” She spoke flatly, giving no room for argument. She waited patiently, only a little surprised when the fear returned to the girl’s eyes. What didn’t surprise her was the girl lunging for the door, effectively throwing herself off the bed clumsily. She didn’t make it very far however as her legs gave out. Clarke was by her side in an instant, holding her up with an arm around her waist but grunted as a flailing elbow nailed her in the stomach.

“I would rather die than let my body be desecrated by a demon!” The girl’s voice was raspy and rough, filled with anger, determination and fear. The demon grit her teeth, pulling the human to her chest in an attempt to restrain her. While the girl was weak, she definitely didn’t lack any fight.

Clarke attempted to wait it out, to be patient until the girl tired herself, but she couldn’t restrain the loud growl that ripped from her throat when her nose was crushed by the back of the girls flailing head. The human in her arms stiffened at the sound.

Taking the opportunity this presented, Clarke hauled her back to the bed, suppressing an irritated snarl. Her nose ached and she could feel blood dripping down her face, but she took a deep breath as she deposited the human on the bed, albeit a bit roughly. The blonde ignored the cowering girl for a moment, breathing deeply to reign in her anger. She grabbed another cloth and mopped the blood from her face with jerky movements.

Once her face was moderately clean and her nose had stopped bleeding, she gripped the side tables edges, leaning forward as she sighed. She needed to remember the girl was scared and had no idea what was going to happen to her, so of course she would make the worst assumptions and lash out. Clarke needed to ensure the girl understood that she would be safe, not at risk of harm or assault.

Sighing, the blonde looked at the girl from the corner of her eye. She really needed to find out her name. She couldn’t just keep referring to her as ‘the girl’ or ‘the human’ in her mind.

“What’s your name?” She rasped, throat clogged with blood. She grabbed a flask of water and drank deeply to clear her throat and wash out her mouth, keeping one eye on the girl at all times. The human had curled up at the end of the bed, the furthest away from the demon as she could get. Her expression was the picture of strong determination, but it was undermined by how much her body trembled.

When the girl stayed silent, she sighed, taking another slow sip of the water. She raised a brow when the girl’s eyes focused on her and she swallowed, mouth obviously dry. She turned fully, leaning back against the side table and shook the still half full flask enticingly. She could tell that the girl got the message when her eyes narrowed. Obey me, and you’ll be rewarded.

“Lexa.” The girl ground out, jaw stiff. Clarke nodded, reaching over and handing Lexa the flask, a small smile tugging at her lips as she watched her gulp down the cool liquid.

“Look, Lexa.” She rolled the name around on her tongue, enjoying the feeling of the sounds within her mouth. It was a beautiful name. She liked it.

“I have no intention of harming you, or as you say, desecrating you, but if you try what you just did again, there will be consequences. Understood?” Her voice gained a hard edge near the end of her sentence, her eyes narrowing into a harsh glare. Lexa visibly swallowed and nodded, her knuckles turning white as she clutched at the flask. The blonde sighed, her nose throbbing as she leaned her head back. Now that that was sorted, she pushed off the side table and stepped over to the fire.

The broth was simmering nicely, meaning it was almost done. She wouldn’t have the time to tend to Lexa’s torso before it was done, so it would be better to simply let her eat beforehand. Nodding to herself, Clarke straightened and retrieved a bowl and spoon. Ladling a portion of the broth into the bowl, she beckoned the human over.

It seemed Lexa had taken her words to heart because she moved immediately, if a little slowly, to the edge of the bed. The blonde retrieved a stool from the back of her tent, and motioned for the human to sit. She did with a little difficulty, shuffling the short way from the bed, her body shaking from having to support her own weight. Once settled, Clarke handed her the bowl of broth.

“Eat, and while you do that, I’m going to comb out your hair. While we don’t have a proper bath available, I have no desire to sleep in a bed filled with large chunks of mud.” Lexa said nothing as she took the broth, simply staring at the fire with uncertain eyes. The blonde could feel her apprehension, but didn’t say anything as she dug through the side tables drawer for a comb. Retrieving the item, she positioned herself behind the human, laying a hand on her shoulder gently so she knew she was there. Lexa stiffened slightly, shivering as she murmured.

“Please don’t touch the braids.” Her voice was quiet, pleading. Clarke examined the hair style, taking in the intricate network of braids silently. They were beautiful, even when covered in mud and filth, and obviously important to the girl if she spoke up about them.

“I need to undo them to get the mud out, but I’ll do my best to put them back when I’m done.” She squeezed Lexa’s shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting manner. The human nodded, taking in a shaky breath before starting to eat. Clarke took that as silent agreement and got to work.

It took maybe an hour to comb through the girls thick hair, removing chunks of mud and small twigs that had gotten tangled in the strands. When she was done, the humans hair was far from clean, but she could see the locks were a soft brunette colour. Keeping her word, she did her best to replicate the style Lexa had had before, weaving the strands together into a series of braids that she hoped looked similar enough.

Tying off the last braid, she opened her mouth to ask if it was the same as before, but she closed it with a click when she realised Lexa had slumped over, breathing softly in sleep. It really shouldn’t have surprised her, the human was exhausted, and injured, and in all manner of unhealthy.

Taking the empty bowl and spoon from Lexa’s limp hands, she set it aside before slipping her arms under the girl’s knees and behind her back and lifting. The brunette curled into her hold, head resting on her collarbone, still soundly asleep. Clarke felt a small smile tug at her lips as she moved the girl to the bed. Lexa remained undisturbed, mouth slightly parted as she slept.

The demon took the time to remove the girls boots, placing them next to the bed, then moved on to her chest armour. She tossed the leather armour with the rest on the side table, the metal plates sewn onto the inside clinking softly. The wounds she’d managed to see before hadn’t appeared to be terribly deep, but as she removed the last layers from the girl’s skin she frowned.

Lexa’s skin was covered in bruises, all in different stages of healing. Long, but shallow cuts ran along her sides where the armour hadn’t quite covered. Older wounds, deep enough to need stitches, seeped puss and infection. Being on the run had not treated her with kindness.

Nodding to herself, she got to work. She cleaned each injury as best she could, boiling a new pot of water to help sanitize and wipe away the filth that had managed to seep under all of the layers of armour. She bandaged each cut, applying ointments and salves before wrapping the girl’s torso in soft strips of cloth.

She hesitated a moment before removing the brunette’s chest bindings, but pushed forward when she found blood continuing to stain the fabric after she’d handled the rest of Lexa’s injuries. While the girl was attractive, she felt no sexual pull as she bared her breasts to the world. Instead, her focus was on the slice across her ribs, still weeping red. Grabbing a wad of bandages she pressed them to the wound, frowning as they stained quickly. She’d need to stitch it.

Awkwardly, still pressing the bandages to the wound, she grabbed her medical kit. Digging around, she withdrew a needle and thread from the bag. She also retrieved a bottle of disinfecting alcohol to sterilize the needle. Normally, she would do it over an open flame, but she didn’t want to risk taking pressure off the wound.

One handed, she threaded the needle with her teeth, feeling a cramp in the muscles of her back start as she continued to lean awkwardly over Lexa. Removing the bandages, she began to stitch, wincing as the stab of the needle drew whimpers from the girl. Surprisingly, the brunette didn’t wake up, too exhausted to fully register the pain. The demon sighed as she finished, wiping her hands clean of blood.

Setting her medical supplies aside, she continued, unbuckling the straps and sheaths on Lexa’s legs before stripping away her pants, leaving her in short-like undergarments. Luckily, it seemed her legs were rather unharmed, only covered in a series of bruises much like her torso. Satisfied that all of the girl’s wounds had been taken care of, Clarke grabbed the night dress from the end of the bed.

Lexa only started to wake up once the blonde had propped the brunette against her side and slipped the garment over her shoulders. She blinked tiredly, watching uncomprehending as sure hands folded the dress around her and tying the tie around her waist. It was only when Clarke shifted to set her down, her warm hands touching the bare skin of the girl’s legs, did Lexa realize she was practically naked under the night dress. The blonde felt her stiffen in her arms, and shushed the girl before she could say anything. “I said I wouldn’t do anything and I didn’t. Calm yourself.”

She felt Lexa nod slightly, but her body barely relaxed, obviously uncomfortable. Knowing she couldn’t do much but wait for the brunette to trust her, she simply wrapped the human in one of the beds furs before moving to clean up. She could feel Lexa’s eyes on her as she shook out her mud splattered cloak, laying it and Lexa’s armour alongside her own. She poured the rest of the lukewarm broth from the pot into a mug and sipped it as she gathered the human’s clothes into a burlap sack and placed it next to her chest. She’d have to lend the girl some of her clothes until they returned to civilization, as there was no way she was going to let her wear them while they were that filthy.

She hummed to herself as she finished the last of her broth, scanning the interior of her tent to see if there was anything left to do before bed. Other than cleaning her armour and weapons, which she had already decided to do later, it didn’t seem that she had anything left to take care of.

Suddenly feeling her exhaustion, she set her empty mug on the side table. Lexa continued to watch as she made her way to her chest, tugging the lid open and digging inside. She pulled out a new set of pants and a shirt, and tossed them on the end of the bed. She could almost feel Lexa’s eyes widen as she stripped off her shirt. A light squeak and the shuffling of blankets confirmed her suspicions as when she looked over; the human had buried herself under the furs.

She chuckled as she continued to change, shucking off her mud splattered boots and sighing as she pulled on clean clothes. She couldn’t wait to go back to Arkadia; back to running water and electric lighting and proper heating. She’d have everything she needed to be comfortable, along with everything she needed to get her human back to full health.

After adding her soiled clothes to the sack with Lexa’s, she stretched, leaning back and groaning as her back popped deliciously. She tilted her head from side to side, letting the weight of her horns stretch her neck gently. She allowed her head to hang back for a moment, peeking at Lexa from the corner of her eye. The human had resumed watching her from under the furs, an expression of confusion and awkward discomfort on her face. It was a rather adorable sight if Clarke was being honest.

After banking the fire, throwing the tent into a dim darkness, she made her way to the bed. She slipped under the furs slowly, physically feeling the sudden panic bursting from the human beside her. Gently, she wrapped her arms around the brunette, drawing her close and guiding her head to lay on the blonde’s chest.

“Shhh Pet. You need to rest and I will ensure it isn’t disturbed.” She carded her fingers through Lexa’s hair, toying with the intricate braids. She felt the girl remain stiff for a moment longer before relaxing against her side with a long sigh. She scratched at Lexa’s scalp gently, massaging lightly until she felt the human’s breathes soften and even out. Smiling a little to herself, she settled down to sleep, enjoying the feeling of another’s warmth pressed against her. While it would be hard to earn Lexa’s trust, Clarke had a feeling she would have no regrets about making the girl hers.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And chapter two is up. After this, the length of the chapters will get much, much shorter (unless I decide to add more) because there are some parts that just work better/have a greater affect if it stops there (yes, im talking about cliff hangers), so don’t be disappointed if the next ones length is like 2/5ths of this one.

She felt herself shudder awake, body freezing yet overly warm at the same time. Everything ached, her muscles, her head. She felt a whimper building in her throat but she swallowed it down. She felt someone’s arms wrapped around her waist and a warm body pressed against her back.

‘The demon’

Her mind supplied, and while she knew logically that she wanted to get away, to escape her captor, she felt much too ill to even think of moving, let alone running. She forced her eyes open, blinking as the watery light of morning made her head ache. Wincing slightly, she turned over a bit, trying to get a better look at her sleeping captor.

The demon looked much younger when she was asleep, although that didn’t tell the human much as it was a well known fact that demons didn’t age like humans did. A demon that looked no more than a child could easily be hundreds of years old, so the blonde could be ancient and Lexa would never be able to tell just by looking.

As it was, the demon looked to be her age, if maybe a little younger, like any normal human girl, an irritatingly attractive human girl. The one thing that set her apart, however, were the horns atop her head. They were curved and thin, the bases just above her hairline and hidden by blonde locks. They jutted forward ever so slightly before curving back sharply along her skull. They seemed to have grown in a way that it didn’t hinder the blonde when she lay down as she was sleeping rather peacefully on her side with half her face pressed into the pillow, mouth slightly parted, revealing small, admittedly adorable, fangs where a human's incisors would be.

Rolling back onto her side, she grit her teeth as the demon pulled her closer, murmuring in her sleep. The demon's embrace was grudgingly comfortable and it made the human angry and confused. Her people had been fighting the demons for as long as she could remember. She’d always been told they were beasts in human skin, only content when they were causing suffering, yet here she was being taken care of by one such demon; a demon that had assured her that she was safe, and had only ever done things to care for her, even if they were unwanted.

She was broken from her thoughts as she began to tremble, shivering because of some imagined chill, and a body wracking cough that clawed its way from her throat. She curled into herself as her body convulsed, unable to contain her whimper after it was over. Her throat was on fire and her head pounded, making it difficult to form anymore coherent thoughts. She could feel the demon shifting behind her, guiding her to roll over and cupping her face with cool hands.

“Shh, Pet. It’s okay.”

‘Pet.’ The demon had called her that a few times now. Is that what she was to her? Feeling as she was, she didn’t think that prospect sounded so bad as she felt her hair being stroked gently and a flask of water being brought to her lips. The cool liquid felt wonderful on her throat and she whined again, feeling much too awful to care about appearances at this point, when it was taken away. Her breaths were laboured as the demon pulled her up into a sitting position. She didn’t resist as she was pulled into a warm lap, or flinch away as cool lips were pressed to her forehead.

She felt weak, taking comfort from the enemy. She was a warrior, trained to fight and kill for her people. Even sick and injured, even near death, she was duty bound to keep fighting.

But her people were gone

They’d been destroyed months ago, at the battle of Polis. When the demons had won; when she and the last of her fellow warriors had been forced to flee with the few civilians that they could save. Her people were scattered to the wind, either dead and gone, or captured as she was now. She felt tears in her eyes as the demon began to gently rock her from side to side. She swallowed harshly as she tried to force them down before they spilled over. She felt awful, her head hurt and her wounds stung, everything ached, and she felt small and alone.

She didn’t realize that she’d lost the battle with her tears until the demon swiped them from her cheeks with gentle fingers. A sob choked it’s way from her throat, high and keening. In response, the demon only held her closer, humming softly as she continued to rock back and forth. All the pain and stress from the last several months seemed to well up all at once, making her sob harder as she buried her face into the demon’s chest.

She missed her people, her home, her family. She missed her siblings, Anya and Aden. She missed her father, Titus. She missed Polis. She missed Costia. She ached to turn back time, to return to the calmer days, when they’d had some semblance of peace, when they’d been at a stalemate with the demons. What hurt the most was that she knew that she could never even have a small semblance of what she had before. Polis was a burnt husk, void of all life. Costia was long dead, lost to a battle over a year ago. She had no idea where her family was, or even if they were alive. All she had to look forward to now was whatever the demon holding her had planned.

Her emotions seemed to drain away just as fast as they’d come, leaving her exhausted and shaking. The demon's arms were the only thing keeping her upright as she slumped against the blonde, breaths coming in harsh hiccupping gasps. The demon continued to rock and hum, carding soothing fingers through her hair.

“What’s your name?” She asked quietly, voice rough and shaking. If she was going to be the pet of this creature for the rest of her life, she at least wanted to know her name. The demon pressed a kiss to her temple. She could feel the curve of a smile on the blonde’s lips.

“Clarke. My name is Clarke.” The name was murmured against her skin. The brunette breathed a sigh and nodded, shifting to more comfortably rest her head on the blonde’s shoulder. At this point, she trusted that Clarke wouldn’t do anything to harm her, or at least not yet. The demon had shown time and again her intentions to heal her, tending her wounds when the blonde could have easily taken advantage of her body’s weakness. She let her eyes flutter shut as she pressed her forehead against Clarke’s neck, sleep beckoning her.

For now, she could take comfort in her temporary safety. Clarke would care for and protect her until she was healed at the very least, so for now, she would take advantage of it and rest.

* * *

The cart rattled over the uneven road, jerking its riders from side to side every so often. Clarke winced as a particularly violent jerk had Lexa whimpering as it aggravated her wounds. The demon carded her fingers through the brunette’s hair as the girl pressed her face into the blonde’s stomach in an attempt to hide from the dim light of the overcast afternoon.

Lexa lay with her head cradled in Clarke's lap, wrapped in a spare cloak as she lay stretched over the carts long bench. She'd been feverish for the past few days, dropping in and out of lucidity as she fought against both illness and infection. The blonde was relieved they would finally be going home after having her company’s mission confirmed as a success. There was only so much she could do for the poor girl in a rudimentary military camp, where supplies were limited and hygiene practically nonexistent.

But now they were going home, to her big, empty apartment where they'd have warm, running water, which meant nice long baths, and decent food rather than the dehydrated mush and broth they'd both been subsisting on for days now. They'd have a nice large bed where they could spread out rather than be cramped on a military issued cot. It would be warm, no longer waking up to cold noses and tingling fingers and toes. She sighed happily at the thought, chuckling softly as Lexa mumbled sleepily when the blonde massaged behind her ear.

The other occupants of the cart paid her no mind as she doted on her human, too busy trying to catch some much needed sleep to actually care. In other carts up and down the line, the blonde could see other humans, heads tellingly bare of any horns, tucked against the sides of the warriors that claimed them.

It wasn't an uncommon practice among her people to claim someone from a group they'd conquered. She'd seen demons with an assortment of pets and companions, from centaurs to night elves to nymphs. It was almost a point of pride with demons, to show off who their strength had defeated. And while there weren't any explicit laws about claiming pets or servants from battlefields besides required registration and identification, it was an unspoken rule that a demon was to treat their pets well, and Clarke fully intended to pamper her human.

* * *

It was nighttime when they finally reached Arkadia. The streets were silent as the carts moved along, the only sounds being the clopping of horse hooves on cobblestone and the light murmur of conversation between the warriors. Clarke had pulled Lexa into her lap as the temperature dropped, the early chill of winter nipping harshly. The brunette had woken at the movement and stared wide eyed at the towering buildings around her. The blonde smiled at the look of awe and wonder on the girl’s face.

She had to admit that, for those who hadn’t lived in Arkadia their whole lives, it was probably overwhelming. The buildings were tall, made from carefully cut stone, metal and wood. They were packed together to conserve space, with specially designated open areas dotted between the blocks. Arkadia itself was large, built around a palace of metal that towered into the sky. Legend’s said that the demons themselves had come from the sky, falling within their metal castle as it burned red in a ball of fire. It was thousands of years ago, long before Clarke had been born, so long ago that not even the demons themselves knew the details.

The blonde hummed as a strong wind whistled through the streets, Lexa curling closer as she shivered. Winter would be upon them soon, and the snows in recent years had been particularly heavy. Clarke would have to ensure they both dressed warmly.

The carts arrived at the military headquarters just as a few wayward flakes started to fall. The warriors groans and sighs from the long ride quickly turned into cries of happiness as loved ones rushed to meet them.

“Clarke! Hey, Clarke!”

She heard her name as she helped Lexa down from the cart, pulling the cloak tightly around the humans shivering frame. She turned, brow raised as familiar arms quickly pulled her in for a hug. “Hey, O. It’s nice to see you.”  
  
The younger demon pulled away, looking mock offended. She pulled at Clarke’s horns playfully as a dark skinned human came to stand at her side. “Nice? Just nice? You’ve been gone for almost six months and all you can say is that it’s nice to see me? I’m hurt, Griffin. Really and truly hurt.”

Octavia smiled widely, showing she was joking as she leaned against her human, pushing her small blunt horns into his shoulder affectionately. The blonde rolled her eyes and sighed, turning to the new human arrival.

“Hello, Lincoln. Has Octavia been behaving while I was gone?” She sent a smirk at the brunettes look of mock hurt. Lincoln smiled at their antics, shaking his head slightly as he put an arm around his demon. “She’s been doing just fine.”

Octavia stuck her tongue out at the blonde and playfully winked. “Yup, just fine. Also, we came to help you carry your stuff, so you better be nice or we’ll leave you here.”

Clarke laughed, shaking her head as she returned her attention to the cart. Lexa was sitting, shivering on one of the wheels, shoulders hunched and eyes narrowed. She looked adorably disgruntled, making the demon chuckle. The blonde padded over, brushing small flecks of snow from the brunette’s hair. Octavia raised an eyebrow at her questioningly, but didn’t say anything as she helped Lincoln carry Clarke’s things.

After returning any military issued items, she didn’t really have that much. Just a chest of clothing and armour, and a bag with her personal items. Her two friends handled them happily, taking them to their own personal cart, leaving Clarke to handle the shivering human.

“Hey, come on, we’ll be home soon and then I can get you a real, proper bath.” She rubbed the brunettes arms to try and warm them, smiling fondly as Lexa looked at her with hazy, tired eyes and nodded. While the last few days had been easier than essentially living in the wild, the mild reprieve from hardship had sent the girls health spiralling as her body realized it could finally take the time to rest. Clarke had spent her time caring for her, making sure she was as warm as was possible while staying in a tent, and ensuring she ate when she could, and while it had helped, it would still be a while before the human was up to full strength.

She wrapped an arm around the girl’s waist, helping her stand and supporting her as they walked the short distance to Lincoln and Octavia. Her two friends watched intrigued, communicating their slight confusion through looks. She ignored them as she helped Lexa into the back of the cart, shrugging off her own cloak to wrap around the poor girl.

“I’m going to go sign out. I’ll be right back, okay?” She pressed a kiss to her humans forehead, feeling the heat of fever against her lips. Lexa simply curled up in the corner the blonde had placed her in, huddling down into the cloaks. Clarke sent a look to her friends; one that said ‘be nice’ with a rather large amount of intensity, as she hopped down from the cart. Her friends had the habit of teasing anyone new, and she wanted to save Lexa from that until she was feeling better at the very least.

* * *

After signing all the proper release forms, the ride to her apartment was a quiet affair. She’d sat next to Lexa, pulling her close and closing her eyes while Lincoln and Octavia had chatted quietly as the man drove at the front of the cart. When they arrived at her building, she smiled tiredly, happy to be home. Lexa had fallen asleep at some point during the ride, slumping against the blonde, cold nose pressed into her neck. Clarke didn’t have the heart to wake her, so she simply carried the tired human up to her floor, her friends trailing behind.

“We got you some basic stuff to get you started, like milk, eggs and stuff, but you should really go shopping tomorrow.” Octavia spoke softly, setting down Clarke’s bag in the front hall. The blonde smiled at her friends after she’d set Lexa on the couch, padding over to give each of them a tight hug. Octavia kept her close after their hug, motioning to Lexa with her chin.

“I want an explanation eventually, Griffin.” The blonde nodded, smiling as she pulled her friend in for another hug.

“You’ll get one. I’ll properly introduce you once she’s feeling better.” The brunette nodded, pulling away to stand next to Lincoln. The duo left shortly after, not wanting to stay too long because of the late hour. The blonde sighed as she closed the door behind them. It felt nice to be home.

She stretched and groaned, her back popping, before she hauled her chest and bag to her room, tip toeing past the sleeping human on her couch. While her apartment wasn’t exactly huge, it wasn’t very small either. The main area consisted of a kitchen, dining area and living room, all spread out and open, and the large window overlooking the street made it seem even bigger. Her room was the same, large and spread out, the window, again, making it seem bigger than it was. However, with Lexa, Clarke hoped her home would feel less empty, more cozy and lived in.

Stripping off her travel clothes, she dug through her drawers, smiling when she found everything just as she’d left it. Pulling out a pair of soft sweat pants and a baggy shirt, she padded into the bathroom across the hall and turned on the shower. As the water warmed, she went back to her room, digging in her closet in search of something for Lexa to wear.

The brunette had been wearing Clarke’s clothes since her capture, and while they worked, they were definitely too big. The blonde had broader shoulders, more muscle and was bigger in the chest and hips, making the clothes loose and baggy on the slim human. They’d gotten by just fine, but now that they were home Clarke wanted her pet to be comfortable.

She pulled a night dress from her drawers, similar to the one she’d dressed her human in before. A robe style, it was a soft blue made from light fabric. She smiled as she ran her fingers over the garment, imagining Lexa in it, finally clean after a proper bath and lying curled on her bed, stomach full and resting soundly. She bit her lip to reign in her smile, folding the night dress and putting it on the counter when she returned to the bathroom.

She showered quickly, enjoying the warm water streaming down her back as she ran a check list of things to do through her head. First, tonight would be about relaxing. Cleaning up Lexa, checking her wounds and giving her a good meal and a full nights rest. Then tomorrow would be all about getting the essentials, groceries, new clothes and the like. Then after that, she would have to focus on making Lexa healthy, maybe a doctors appointment, and getting her accustomed to demon society. She nodded to herself as she washed her hair, plan in place.

Stepping out of the shower, she stretched languidly, feeling warm and relaxed for the first time in a long while. While she took pride in her abilities as a warrior, she wasn’t exactly a fan of the whole military lifestyle, and with the war with the humans officially over, she most likely wouldn’t get conscripted again for a long time, which meant she’d have plenty of time to relax and enjoy her time with Lexa.

Once dressed, she padded to the living room and smiled when she saw her human curled up on the couch. The cloaks still around her, Lexa was buried within their warmth, only the top of her head and eyes peeking out. The blonde drew closer, kneeling down and brushing away stray hair from the girl’s forehead. She frowned as she still felt the fever that had been present for the last few days, and stood to go grab medicine from her bathroom. She couldn’t have done much while on the road, but now, she had everything she’d need to make her pet feel better.

Retrieving the bottle of fever medicine, she returned to the main room, setting it on the coffee table before continuing on to the kitchen. She needed to get something in Lexa’s stomach before she could give her medication. She smiled when she found several packets of ready made soup in her pantry, along with the basics of flour and sugar, and other assorted items. She silently vowed to bring Octavia and Lincoln a bottle of something expensive the next time she saw them.

Making the soup took much less time on an actual stove rather than on a campfire. She spooned the delicious mixture into two bowls and brought them to the living room, setting them next to the bottle of medicine. Lexa, once again, had yet to move, still sleeping soundly.

“Lexa. Time to wake up, Pet.” She murmured softly as she stroked her human’s hair. The brunette twitched, brow furrowing, before blinking awake. The girl looked at her blearily, eyes hazy from fever and sleep. The blonde smiled, tucking the brunette’s hair behind her ear.

“I made us some food. You can go back to sleep once you’ve eaten and had a bath.” The human blinked at her a moment, registering her words, before nodding and sitting up with a groan. After handing her a bowl of soup, Clarke worked at taking off the girl’s mud splattered boots. It was miraculous that they’d survived so long while Lexa had been on the run, so it wasn’t terribly surprising when the worn and damaged leather practically crumbled in her hands. Standing, she tossed them in the trash, adding ‘get Lexa new shoes’ to the list of things that needed doing.

She dropped down on the couch with a sigh, loving the feeling of sitting on her own couch for the first time in over six months. It felt wonderful. She was home, she was warm and clean, and she had someone to care for again. Excitement sparked in her chest at the last point, making her huff happily as she turned her head to look at the human beside her.

While she wasn’t ancient, Clarke was indeed old. She’d lived a long time, hundreds of years now, and it had been a long time since she’d had companionship, having shied away from it since she’d lost more than one loved one. However, now, after almost a hundred years since she’d lost Finn, she thought she might be ready to have someone close again.

“Once you’re done, I’ll draw you a bath.” She murmured, grabbing her own bowl of soup and began eating. Lexa nodded, staying silent, but a small smile had crept onto her lips, betraying her eagerness to finally be clean. The blonde smiled in return, bringing a hand up to card her fingers through her human's hair gently.

* * *

One thing Lexa had learned quickly since her capture was that Clarke was touchy; touchy and affectionate. Throughout the days they’d spent in the war camp, the demon had given almost a constant stream of affection. Carding her fingers through the brunette’s hair, small massages, light kisses. Lexa was never in need of attention, and she had to grudgingly admit she didn’t mind. It reminded her of her family and their unconditional love. It reminded her of her father's hugs, her brother’s playful kisses on her cheeks, and as she sat quietly in a bath full of warm, steaming water, the demon gently washing her back, she was reminded of all the times she and her sister would bath together after long, terror filled battles, helping each other scrub off the blood and fear.

The brunette’s eyes fluttered ever so slightly as warm water was poured over her shoulders, slumping against her tucked up knees. Clarke’s touches were gentle, never rough or too insistent, and she’d never let her hands stray to places that were untoward. It was reassuring that the demon seemed to truly have no desire to assault her, even when the human’s body was laid out before her.

“Come on, Pet. Just stay awake until I can get you to bed.” Her head jerked up slightly, blinking as she turned to look at Clarke. The demon had moved away from the tub, grabbing a large towel from a stack on top of a hamper. The human groaned as she realized that meant she would have to move. She finally felt warm, her stomach was comfortably full, and her muscles didn’t ache because of the water. If she moved it would be cold and her wounds would tug and the stiffness would return.

Clarke chuckled at her groan, a small smile playing on her lips. Lexa had to admit that the smile was attractive. It softened the demon’s face and brightened her eyes. The human bit her lip and shook her head to clear her mind of such thoughts. She refused to find her enemy attractive.

She struggled to stand, her legs shaking. The muscles had grown weak after such a long period of starvation. Clarke was at her side in an instant, wrapping her in the large towel, and using it to tug her closer until her body was flush with the demons. A strong arm wrapped around her waist, supporting her, and she shivered. She forced herself to believe it was solely from the chill of the bathroom.

The demon guided her to the bedroom, shuffling together until the brunette was set down on the bed. She swallowed thickly as Clarke turned away to grab a soft looking robe, running her hands over the bed spread.

While she had been tired, she’d done her best to examine the apartment when they’d made their way to the bathroom, and from what she could remember, she hadn’t seen any doors other than the ones that led to the bathroom and Clarke’s room, meaning, there was only one bedroom.

It didn’t exactly surprise her, as the demon had slept beside her the entire time she’d been captured, it still made her a bit uncomfortable. Clarke was supposed to be her enemy, she was supposed to kill the demons that had been tormenting her people for generations, yet she was finding comfort in one of them.

She held in a sigh as Clarke returned, pulling the towel tighter around herself. The demon tossed the robe like garment on the bed beside her, along with a small medical kit. She wrapped the towel even tighter, ignoring the slight sting from her healing wounds. Even though she knew it was a good idea to have her injuries treated, the fact that it was a demon doing it made her shift uncomfortably. It seemed Clarke sensed her unease.

“Come on, Pet. The sooner you let me rebandage your wounds, the sooner you can put on some clothes and go to sleep.” She swallowed, taking a deep breath before she let the towel slid from her shoulders. She received an approving hum from the demon, making heat gather on her cheeks as she looked anywhere but at the blonde.

Clarke was gentle while she worked, only touching where was needed unless she was pressing a kiss to Lexa’s forehead, or tucking a strand of damp hair behind the brunette’s ear. The human only squirmed slightly when Clarke had checked the stitches on the deep cut near her breast. The demon cooed quiet assurances as she wrapped a bandage over the wound, pressing a soft kiss to Lexa’s temple when she was done, then quickly retrieved the robe. Lexa felt herself relax once the clothing was draped around her shoulders and tied at the waist. She felt far less exposed.

“Alright, let’s get you to bed.” She refused to believe that she squeaked when Clarke scooped her up, but she definitely made a noise of surprise, making the demon chuckle as she held her close. The blonde pulled back the covers with one hand while the other arm cradled Lexa to her chest. It was a testament to the demons strength, as well as to how little weight the brunette actually had. As she was tucked gently under the covers, Lexa frowned, unnerved by how fragile she’d actually become. If she wanted any sort of fighting chance against her captor, should the need arise, she needed to return to her former strength. However, she didn’t know if she had the time to recuperate before that strength may be needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to send in a prompt, have questions about my fics, want to talk about writing, or want really inconsistent updates on my progress, come follow my tumblr @GillyTweed


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first few days spent in Arkadia are... eventful, to say the least

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So did people think this was abandoned? Probably, but no it was just shoved to like the second last back burner.

When she woke next, it was to the sound of soft humming and the light rustling of fabric. She blinked tiredly, dragging her eyelids open despite the sleep gunk that insisted they stayed shut. The room was dim, harsh sunlight filtered down by thick curtains to a soft glow. She took in the sight of light blue walls, something that hadn’t registered in her exhaustion the night before, and a carved, wooden dresser placed right in her line of vision, a medkit set atop it.

She swallowed thickly. Her mouth felt like cotton, and she couldn’t breath through her nose, forcing her to sigh deeply. The humming cut off and the rustling faded, quickly replaced by soft shuffling footsteps until a pair of legs came into view. Clarke crouched down, balancing on her toes while her hands rested on the edge of the bed, keeping her steady.

“Good afternoon, did you have a good sleep?” The blonde spoke softly, a smile quirking her lips. Lexa groaned in response, curling up a little bit tighter under the soft blankets. Her muscles screamed as she shifted, stiff after a long period of inaction. She shut her eyes against the pain, breathing deeply in a futile effort to lessen it.

“You still have a fever…” Clarke murmured as she pressed a cool palm against the brunette’s forehead. Lexa bit back a whimper as she tried to stretch, her wounds tugging and aching. She felt the demon’s hands on her shoulders, and stilled under the light pressure. “Hey, lay still. Where does it hurt?”

“Everywhere.” She ground out between clenched teeth. She knew it wasn’t the answer Clarke was looking for, so she tried her best to relax, turning her mind to examining the aches in her body. The muscles of her arms and legs twinged with every movement, but it was dull in comparison to the searing pain that lanced through her torso everytime she so much as breathed. The fresh wound on her ribs prickled painfully, but her older wounds, the ones lower on her sides that cut across her stomach, burned with an agonizing heat. “My stomach.” She managed to choke out, squinting through the pain to look at the blonde.

Clarke nodded, a frown having replaced the soft smile from before. The demon pulled back the blankets gently, folding them carefully over the human’s legs, before untying the robe’s belt and brushing the folds aside. Lexa hissed as the bandages were removed, cool air hitting the enflamed flesh around her wounds. She choked on a whimper when Clarke gently trailed a finger over the stitches. A clear liquid seeped from the wound, along with spots of dried blood. She couldn’t smell anything, but she was sure that if she could, the air would be acrid with infection.

“Shhh, Pet, I’ve got you.” The demon grabbed the medkit, popping open the lid and pulling out tubes of disinfectant and anti-inflammatory salves. “Looks like we won’t be going out today.” Lexa bit the inside of her cheek as Clarke gently rubbed the salves into her wounds, holding in her groans as best she could. The blonde returned to humming. It was a soft melodious tone, most likely intended to be soothing, but the pain sent blood rushing in her ears, turning it into white noise. She barely registered the demon putting new bandages over the stitches and pulling away, returning the supplies to the kit.

The brunette felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. Everything hurt and she just wanted to go home. She wanted the pain to stop. She wanted privacy to break down in peace, to cry and sob without the presence of a demon watching her weakness.

Choking back a wet cough, she tried to curl onto her side, away from the blonde. She batted away the demons attempts at help, let out a low snarl that had Clarke stepping back. Lexa ignored the deep sigh that sounded behind her, focusing instead on making herself as small as possible. Another sigh came from the demon, paired with the movement of the covers being pulled up over her body until they rested at her shoulders.

“I’ll let you rest then. Just call if you need anything.” The sound of the door closing was the last thing she heard before a sob ripped its way from her throat. She tried to stifle her cries, knowing that if she were too loud the demon would come running.

* * *

Clarke watched as her human huddled on the couch, entranced by the flickering images on the screen. The volume was turned low, a light hum in the background. It was rather fascinating, seeing the strong, stubborn girl sit with a look of awe and wonder on her face as a documentary about wolves played before her. This was the same girl who had crawled out of bed and refused to return there, despite the weakness of her limbs and being in obvious pain, all with a snarl on her face.

It was obvious Lexa had never seen a television before, which, in hindsight, made sense. The humans had been fighting some enemy or another for as long as anyone could remember, whether they were the Demons, the Night Elves, Nymphs, Werewolves, or a number of other enemies, they’d never had a chance to really advance in the sciences. Demons had been lucky, living within the tall metal walls of Arkadia, safe and protected, along with not being nearly as limited by lifespan, they’d had far more time and opportunity to advance through research and study.

In comparison, Humans had survived through sheer stubborn will, tenacity and a cleverness that had baffled the Demonic Military to no end. Somehow humans would adapt and find a way to fight any strategy the Demons would throw at them. Even when they’d brought guns to bear, the humans would disappear on the battlefield like smoke, striking when it was least expected. It was only when the Demons had adopted the Humans tactics that they’d gotten anywhere at all, and it was rather shameful to say that it had taken centuries.

Clarke gave a rueful smile, breathing a light chuckle at her train of thought. She tore her gaze away from Lexa, padding over to the kitchen to begin cooking dinner. It had been a few days since they’d returned to Arkadia and for the most part they’d stayed home, bar going grocery and clothes shopping. Lexa had been stubborn through it all, walking when she should be resting, getting up when she should be laying down, refusing help when it was obvious she was struggling. Her drive was admirable, but the strain it put on her body worried Clarke to no end.

While the swelling around the humans wounds had gone down, her fever had remained. Throughout the night, Lexa had shivered beside her, body burning with an intense heat. Small whimpers had escaped the brunette as she slept, making Clarke’s chest ache with worry.

‘She needs a doctor.’ She made up her mind with a firm nod as she slid a pan filled with chicken and vegetables into the oven, and set the timer. She’d make an appointment tomorrow.

Plan made, she padded over to the living room, her smile returning as she laid eyes on Lexa, lying curled on her side as she stared at the Tv screen with half lidded eyes. She ran her fingers through her human’s hair gently, silently signalling for her to shift over. Lexa moved with a groan, just enough for the demon to sit, before letting her head fall back down, resting on Clarke’s thigh. The blonde chuckled, both glad and worried at the sudden lack of resistance to being so close.

“Dinner will be ready soon.” She spoke softly, her fingers massaging Lexa’s scalp gently. The human hummed in response, her eyes fluttering as she jerked her head in an almost undetectable nod. Clarke sighed in contentment, leaning back into the couch. Lexa was still resistant, but this was progress, even if it was most likely because of her illness and injuries. Hopefully, with time, her human will learn to enjoy living with her.

* * *

She shifted away from the poking and prodding fingers, sending a glare at the blonde demon that watched from the corner. Clarke sent her an apologetic smile but didn’t intervene as the doctor continued with her examination. Lexa shivered as she glared, still feeling horrible after several days of resting. Her symptoms had only lessened slightly over the time she’d stayed with Clarke, so eventually the demon had made the decision to take the human to a doctor.

It’d been a few days since Clarke had first brought her to Arkadia, and she still wasn’t sure how she was supposed to feel about the whole situation. However, as the doctor continued to poke and prod, she was definitely becoming more irritated than anything. While she understood the necessity of the visit, she was wounded and ill after all, it didn’t make her any less comfortable with a stranger’s cold hands against her skin. She glanced longingly at the pile of new clothes in Clarke’s arms, wishing she was wearing them all rather than just her bra and underwear.

The demon had taken her shopping a few days after they’d arrived in Arkadia, and was surprisingly agreeable when it came to Lexa choosing her own clothes. Of course, the blonde had drawn a line at buying her new armour, but other than that the choices had been hers. It also seemed that Clarke had no want for money, or whatever it was that demons used as currency, as the pair had walked out with their arms laden with bags.

After the trip for clothes, they’d gone to get groceries, something that Lexa had found fascinating. In Polis, most shopping was done in an outdoor market, no matter the weather, going stall to stall to gather each item needed individually, but demons had created a system where they perused shelves piled high with all sorts of goods while pushing small carts to carry the items they wanted. It was odd, but rather efficient, as it meant there didn’t need to be hundreds of stall vendors working at the same time, meaning more time for them to work on their wares. She’d sat in the cart, her shivering body wrapped in a cloak, as Clarke had pushed, staring wide eyed at the endless shelves of items. She’d only drawn her gaze away when the blonde had asked her what she wanted for dinner, another surprise, as she hadn’t had a say in any other cases.

After the first day of shopping, Clarke had declared that anything else could wait now that the important things were done. The next couple days had lulled her into a false sense of security, mostly consisting of relaxing, reading and watching TV. She’d found that her guard had dropped as Clarke had continued to care for her, making her food, tending her wounds, and massaging her head when she’d rested it in the blonde’s lap. So, of course she felt slightly betrayed that Clarke was allowing her to be subjected to all manner of uncomfortable prodding. She’d begun to trust the blonde, something she felt incredibly stupid for.

Eventually, the doctor finished, murmuring all forms of technical gibberish that Clarke nodded along to, somehow understanding. The blonde offered her clothes, which she snatched quickly, all while keeping her glare firmly in place. She tugged on her pants and shirt, her feelings of vulnerability quickly disappearing and being replaced by anger mixed with irritation as she coughed harshly. The anger simmered in her stomach as she watched Clarke converse with the doctor, completely ignoring what they were saying as her focus was entirely on the blonde. Only when Clarke turned to her, offering her hand, did she realize that the appointment was finally over.

She hopped off the examining table and pointedly ignored the demons offered hand, along with her own body screaming to lay down, crossing her arms as she waited for the two demons to leave first. She followed the two out, ignoring how her legs were starting to shake from overuse. She refused to be helped any further by a demon, especially one that had promised to care for her and then dragged her here to be painfully examined. She heard Clarke sigh as she shuffled past, heading towards the exit.

“I swear, you’re like a damn cat.” The demon mumbled as she jogged to pull open the heavy door. Lexa wouldn’t admit it, but she knew that with how weak she still was, she would have never have gotten the door open on her own. She shuffled into the hall, keeping her glare firmly in place despite her muscles aching and her body’s constant shivers. Clarke had been helping her walk everywhere, but the brunette hardened her resolve, determined to not need any more help. She could feel Clarke’s eyes on her as she made it to the door that led outside the building, and she heard the sigh as the blonde caught her when her knees gave out.

“For fucks sake, Lexa. You needed to go to the doctor. You have pneumonia.” The demon ground out as she lifted the human into her arms. Lexa grumbled, pushing weakly against the blonde’s shoulder, until another round of body wracking coughs shook her frame. Clarke cradled her close as she flagged down a transport. The cart driver, an older looking demon who had a lightly smoking pipe hanging from his lips, raised a brow but said nothing as he took in the human in the blonde’s arms. Clarke climbed into the bed of the cart, pulling the shivering brunette close as she gave the man directions to her apartment.

Lexa grudgingly shifted closer, desiring warmth as a new set of shivers made her tremble. She hated feeling so weak, she hated being sick and injured, and above all else, she hated needing so much help. It had been nice at first, finally being clean and no longer hungry, but after several days of being so exhausted she was tired of it.

“Lexa, you’re going to bed when we get home alright? I know you hate being weak, but you’re not going to get better if you keep being stubborn.” She bit back a whine when her chest started aching, but sighed as Clarke began to gently run her fingers through her hair. She grudgingly had to admit that the feeling of the blonde’s fingers gently massaging her scalp had become one of her favourite sensations, especially while she was feeling so horrible.

Clarke adjusted so the brunette sat curled between her legs, Lexa’s back to her front, before wrapping her cloak around the both of them. The sudden layer of warmth had Lexa turning, burying her face into the blonde’s chest. She hated feeling weak, and she hated her body’s sudden need for affection, but she felt so horrible, aching all over and shivering, she suddenly couldn’t think of a good reason why she’d resisted.

She grumbled as she pushed closer to Clarke, angry with herself at her emotional whiplash. One moment she was determined to fight the blonde, then she suddenly found herself desiring the comfort and care the demon provided. It was exhausting.

‘Maybe I am like a cat.’

She thought tiredly as she felt a sudden wave of tiredness drag her eyes closed. She barely registered Clarke’s light hum as she slipped into sleep, too focused on how cat like her behaviour had been.

* * *

Clarke sighed as she put her human to bed. The brunette had shown she was beyond stubborn as they’d left the doctor’s office, and while she did feel a little guilty for making Lexa so uncomfortable, the blonde wouldn’t apologize for taking care of her.

She tucked the blankets tightly around her human’s shivering frame, frowning as a low unrestrained whine escaped Lexa’s mouth. The human had proven to be stubborn and despised being seen as weak, always fighting and pushing herself even when it wasn’t needed, so for Lexa to produce such a sound, and not attempt to muffle it in any sort of way, she must indeed feel terrible. Sighing again, she brushed strands of hair away from the girls sweat soaked forehead. The human shivered under her touch, eyelids fluttering only slightly as exhaustion continued to drag her down into sleep.

The doctor had prescribed some rather heavy duty antibiotics, the prescription of which sat innocently on the kitchen counter. The demon was hesitant to leave to go get the medicine, especially with Lexa as weak as she was, along with no doubt being angry at Clarke for the impromptu doctors appointment. If she left now, she feared her pet would do something unwise, like try to run away, or get up even.

Another sigh escaped her as she pressed a kiss to Lexa’s warm forehead. Even when the human was asleep, she felt the need to show her care. It was like a pull in her chest, wanting to show affection for her human, and it only grew stronger as she’d gotten to know the girl. Lexa was fascinating, a warrior trained to defend her people, strong and determined, yet she also showed some amount of softness. The girl liked nature documentaries, something she’d never seen before but had quickly grown to enjoy when Clarke had handed her the TV remote. She had a fondness for long sleeved shirts and sweaters, and she look particularly adorable when she wore one a size too big. She liked raw mushrooms, but disliked them cooked. She’d mumbled something about texture when she’d pushed them to the edge of her plate one night during dinner, making Clarke chuckle. The little bits the demon had learned over the last few days had piqued her interest even further, making her want to get to know Lexa even more.

She stood from where she knelt next to the bed, a frown firmly on her face. She pulled the blankets up around the brunette’s shoulders one last time before padding into the hall. Her teeth worried her lip as she tried to make sense of what she should do. She wanted Lexa to be happy, but first she needed to make her healthy. She sighed again, something she was sure she’d be doing a lot of in the next while.

Lexa’s wounds had been healing nicely, some having been able to have the stitches removed, but her symptoms of pneumonia would most likely take longer to get rid of. However, once she was no longer ill, Clarke had the feeling that Lexa would want to try to return to some semblance of her warrior ways, training and fighting like she used to. The blonde released her lip from between her teeth as she picked up the antibiotics prescription from the kitchen counter, her mind turning in circles. She knew she couldn’t keep her human trapped here, Lexa needed to be free, at least to some extent. Her thoughts were interrupted by the low ring of the phone. She moved quickly, lunging for it before the second ring could sound, not wanting Lexa’s rest to be disturbed.

“Hello?” She asked quietly, keeping her voice low. Some slight static and quiet chatter came through the line before a voice spoke, matching her quiet tone.

“Hey Clarke, heard you were back in town, just wanted to catch up.” A small smile tugged at her lips as she heard Raven’s voice through the phone, another, happier sigh escaping her mouth.

“Hey Raven. How’re you doing?” She shifted over to the couch plopping down on the soft cushions and settled in for a chat. She hadn’t been able to keep in contact with her friends while she’d been out on campaign, so it was nice to finally have the opportunity to talk.

“I’m good, so’s Anya. She’s been a bit grumpy though after hearing about the end of your mission. How’d it go?” Clarke nodded, even though she knew Raven couldn’t see her. Anya was Raven’s partner, a human she’d brought back with her after the battle of Polis over six months ago. While the government recognised Anya as a pet or servant, Raven had done her best to treat her like an equal, which had earned the humans respect. They cared for each other; something Clarke hoped would develop between her and Lexa.

“We won, obviously. I brought a human back. Murphy was going to kill her for scratching him across the cheek.” She chuckled dryly, remembering her and Lexa’s first meeting. It had barely been a week and a half ago, yet it seemed like a lifetime. The memory of Lexa lying there, dying in the mud, made her chest ache. It seemed she’d become much more attached in the short time that she’d known the girl than she’d first thought.

“Sounds like a fighter. When do we get to meet her?”

She could hear the amusement, underlined with excitement, in Raven’s voice. She hummed, making it seem like she was actually thinking, but paused, getting an idea.

“Actually, could I bring her over to meet you and Anya in a couple days? She has pneumonia right now, but I think meeting someone in her position who is content with it would do her good.”

There was a slight pause on the other line, some light murmuring, before Raven returned. “Sure, both of us are down.”

Clarke chuckled as Anya’s voice came over the line, muffled but her words were clear. “Just make sure she doesn’t get either of us sick. Raven’s too old to handle that.”

“I am not old! I’m in my prime, thank you very much!” The blonde had to hold in a full blown laugh at her friends indignant shriek. Anya had found many ways to tease the demon, most having to do with the fact that, technically, Raven was much older than the human, yet their maturity levels differed greatly. It was an interesting dynamic, but one that suited the pair perfectly.

“Okay, I’ll let you know when I’m bringing her over.” She gasped out, trying her best to remain quiet. After receiving several distracted noises of confirmation, she hung up, chuckling as she returned the phone to its cradle. A warmth had nestled itself in her chest, happiness at having finally heard from her long time friend. She hummed happily to herself as she began to pull out things to make dinner. With any luck, Lexa would see that her new situation wasn’t that bad, and maybe she would find some form of happiness living with the demon.

* * *

Lexa pushed her food around her plate with her fork, her thoughts gloomy and dark. It had been two days since the doctors appointment, and for most of that time she’d been sleeping. Clarke had somehow acquired a bottle of antibiotics, most likely when she’d been unconscious. The fact that she hadn’t even notice the demon leave made her feel completely and utterly useless. She was a warrior, trained to be alert in all situations, yet she couldn’t even keep track of one demon going about her regular day.

“Still feeling sick? You haven’t eaten much.” Clarke asked from across the table, worry in her tone. The blonde had paused in her own meal, fork halfway to her mouth when she’d noticed Lexa’s lack of appetite. The human gripped her fork a little tighter, feeling anger boil in her stomach at the concern the demon was showing for her. If she were being honest, she did feel a bit nauseous, but she refused to show weakness.

“I’m fine.” She mumbled, continuing to prod at her meal. At any other time she probably would have really enjoyed it, Clarke had made some sort of meat dish with chicken and boiled vegetables that were seasoned rather well, but Lexa was feeling spiteful, refusing to enjoy something provided by her caretaker.

A shiver went down her spine at the thought. It was becoming harder and harder to see Clarke as someone who had captured her. The demon had been nothing but kind, and it made the warrior confused. Any other time she’d been captured her captors had been cruel, starvation and torture had been the norm, yet Clarke had cared for her, tended her wounds and fed her, doing everything in her power so Lexa was healthy. The fact that she enjoyed the pampering to some extent made her disgusted with herself. Because how dare she live in the lap of luxury when her people were destroyed and any one who remained was most likely suffering.

“I’m going to go to bed.” She murmured, pushing her still half full plate away. The demon looked at her with worry, but nodded, standing to store the food for another time. As Clarke turned away, a flash caught the human's eye. She swallowed thickly as the serrated blade gleamed from the table. It was small, a steak knife, but would suit her needs just fine.

She felt the muscles in her shoulders tighten as she slipped the knife into her sleeve, the cool metal making her shiver. She turned and headed towards the hall, using the wall to support herself, before Clarke could return to the table. Her mind was racing as she entered the bedroom. She had the knife now, so it was tonight or never. Clarke would notice it’s absence eventually, so she had to do it tonight. The only problem was she wasn’t sure what it was.

Would she threaten Clarke? Kill her? She wasn’t even certain she wanted to do either of those things. All she knew was that it was her duty to fight her captor, to try and escape and return to what was left of her people. If there was anything left of her people.

She felt herself shaking as she slipped under the beds soft covers, the small teeth of the knife digging slightly into her skin as she attempted to get comfortable. She could feel herself shivering as she curled into herself, unsure if it was because of illness or the weapon in her sleeve. She focused on the clattering sounds coming from the kitchen, the sounds of water running as Clarke did the dishes. Lexa half expected the demon to come storming into the room, demanding the knife, yet the clattering continued. Other simple domestic sounds drifted down the hall and through the half closed door. The sound of the kettle whistling, no doubt for Clarke’s evening cup of tea. The melodious sound of the demon humming softly. It all seemed so normal, yet not at all as cool metal pressed against her forearm.

She waited for what seemed like hours, but was most likely less than thirty minutes until the sound of the demon coming down the hall reached her ears. She rolled, turning away from the door, slipping the knife from her sleeve and gripping the handle tightly. She felt like she couldn’t breath as the steps grew closer, throat closing as the door opened, letting in light from the hall. She stiffened when a hand was placed on her shoulder, eyes widening in panic.

“Hey, you need to take your medication before you go to sleep.” She wasn’t sure what exactly had happened next, but suddenly Clarke was pinned beneath her, the knife held shakily to her throat. Lexa felt weak, stomach roiling with nausea, but she refused to waver. She swallowed as Clarke simply looked up at her with sad eyes, not fighting back like she’d hoped. Yes, she’d hoped the demon would fight back. She hoped Clarke would fight so she could kill her without guilt, yet all the blonde did was stare up at her unflinchingly.

“Why aren’t you fighting back?” Lexa rasped, sweat beginning to gather on her forehead. Her chest was beginning to hurt, breaths coming in shallow gasps. Clarke didn’t move, not even when the knife pressed a little further against her throat.

“You demons are supposed to be monsters, so why aren’t you fighting back?” She could feel herself tilting slightly to the side as her muscles ached, quickly righting herself to hide her weakness. The movement finally drew a reaction from the demon under her, a slight widening of the eyes filled with worry and concern.

“Demons destroyed my people. You destroyed my people, so why aren’t you fighting back?” She coughed harshly, her voice rising.

“You destroyed my people, burn our city, yet you take care of me. Why?” The sweat that dripped down her face was quickly joined by tears as she attempted to shout. Her throat, scraped raw from her endless coughing, ached as she let the words tumble out. She jerked the blade back as Clarke moved to sit up, pressing her throat into the knife. Lexa wasn’t sure what to do as the demons arms wrapped around her, drawing her in close as she sobbed. The knife slipped from her fingers, slipping from the bed and to the floor with a clatter, as the blonde gently stroked her hair, guiding her head to rest in the crook of a warm neck.

“I’m sorry that I killed your people. I’m sorry for your pain, but what I won’t apologize for is taking care of you.” Clarke cooed softly, shifting so they lay back on the bed. Lexa didn’t fight as she was held close, her body resting atop the demons. She clutched at the blonde’s shirt, her tears never ending as all of her pain and confusion came to the surface.

She’d always been taught that demons were monsters. That they only found pleasure in suffering, yet Clarke had proven that, and every other demonic tale, wrong. She was kind and compassionate, and seemed to take genuine pleasure in caring for others, in caring for Lexa. She’d been kind, but firm, laying out rules and expectations clearly, and never expected more than Lexa could give. She was everything Lexa had been taught a demon wasn’t, yet the horns atop her head proved otherwise. She sobbed harder, her entire body trembling.

“Why can’t I hate you?” She whispered into Clarke’s skin, tears soaking the collar of the blonde’s shirt. The only indication that the demon had heard her was the slight pause of Clarke’s hand as she carded her fingers through Lexa’s hair. She didn’t respond to the question, simply holding her closer and pulling the beds blankets over them. It seemed, like Lexa, she didn’t have an answer either. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come hit me up on tumblr @GillyTweed

**Author's Note:**

> Want to send in a prompt, have questions about my fics, want to talk about writing, or want really inconsistent updates on my progress, come follow my tumblr @GillyTweed


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